"And what about you, Sandy?" Connie says. "How are you getting on being pregnant?"
"The pregnancy has just made me even hornier," Sandy says. "I think they're getting tired of me."
I put my hand up to halt her. "I love you, Sandy, but promise me you won't start talking about Tyler and sex. I just can't deal with hearing about my brother that way."
"I promise," she snorts.
"I'm further ahead than all of you in this," Natalie says, "And I can confirm that it only gets better with time. Things settle down. You get used to each other's needs and wants. You find ways to compromise so that everyone is happy. For example, Miller likes his own space in bed, so we've bought him a separate bed in the same room. Now I get to cuddle up with Max and Mason every night, and Miller gets to have a quality sleep. We still have the intimacy of all being together. You just have to give it time and see how it works. Be adaptable."
"Now, that's a great idea," Connie says. "We invested in this huge bed, but it's not always that comfortable to sleep together all the time. I only have space for two of them to be next to me. It would probably be better if they just rotated into the bed for sleep time. The sexy times are always all of us."
"Really?" I ask. "We tend to mix that up too. I don't think I could always handle them all together. It's nice sometimes, but I guess I'd miss the intimacy of being with just one man."
At that moment, the waitress comes over to present me with a menu. "I miss the intimacy of one man too," she says.
The other girls laugh. "You found your harem yet, Kyla?"
"Nope," she says, sticking her bottom lip out like a disappointed toddler, "But I've got a new job in this tattoo place around the corner. It's owned by eight of the sexist men you have ever seen. There's more ink on them than the New York Times."
"Ooooo," Natalie says, her eyes widening at the news. "That sounds like potential."
"Eight?" Kyla snorts. "I mean, I'm a lot of woman but not enough for eight to share."
"Seven are sharing me just fine," I say proudly.
Kyla looks at me for the first time, and her eyes widen. "Luna Evans? What the fuck?" Her hand flies to her mouth. "Sorry for the cursing. I just never thought I'd see you in this place."
"She's the latest recruit to our very exclusive club," Connie says proudly. "We're just waiting for you to find your harem."
"Just one man would do me fine," Kyla says. "The problem is that finding even one is more taxing than I can bear."
"Elijah has two great brothers,” I say. When Kyla’s eyes widen like a rabbit’s in headlights I smile. “Aim high. Think positive. Manifest your ideal life."
"Is that what you did?" Kyla asks.
"I guess I did," I say, thinking back over everything that has happened in the last few years.
When I was singing on the street corner, I'd envision myself on a stage in front of thousands of people. At the time, I thought it was helping me to look and sound more professional, but maybe it was more than that. When I found out about Tyler's polyamorous relationship with Sandy and his friends, I started to wonder what it would be like to be at the center of so many men. Over time, the men went from faceless to having the faces of the men hired to protect me. And look what happened.
I guess I believe that if you think positively, you take the opportunities that life presents. And maybe you can draw into your life the things that start off as just hopes and dreams.
Pressing my hand to my belly, I think about my child. How many years have I thought about having a family of my own? And now it's becoming a reality.
Mom's out of rehab and sticking to her plan for the time being. Tyler is happily settled with a family who I love. And my own home is filled with men who adore and treasure me.
Life couldn't be better.
"I'll take a chocolate muffin and a chamomile tea," I tell Kyla. "And the name of that tattoo place you work at. I've been meaning to get some ink."
I'll take a leaf out of Hudson's book and carry the name of my brother on my body so that he's always with me.
And when the baby's born, I'll name her Jacqueline so that he's with her always too.
It's time to be thankful for everything I have and look forward to a bright and positive future.
"The world is yours for the taking," I tell Kyla as she notes down my order in her notebook.
My seven men have shown me that it really is.
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***
Have you read the other Multiple Love books?
BIG 3 | HOT 4 | HARD 5 | DEEP 6 | STEEL 7 | INKED 8
Keep reading for an excerpt of INKED 8 - available to pre-order now!
Excerpt Inked 8 – © Stephanie Brother
1
KYLA
“You have to apply for the job,” Dawn says as she leans against the counter at The Daily Grind, my current miserable place of work.
“Sshhh,” I say, glancing around and finding my manager safely out of earshot. Not that Dawn would care. She’s been telling me to leave this place since I first secured the role. Admittedly, the pay sucks and my manager rides me until I’m broken and expects a smile to top it all off. Not only that, but I’m actually one of life’s weirdos who doesn’t have a hardon for coffee. Give me a nice creamy hot chocolate any day of the week. Or a glass of wine.
Going home every day with the smell of burnt coffee beans in my hair and clothes is just the icing on a gross cake.
“I don’t know anything about tattoos,” I say. “How can I apply for a job in a tattoo parlor?”
“You don’t need to know anything about tattoos,” Dawn says. “It’s an admin role. They need someone to organize them, and you are the queen of organization.”
She’s right there. Just thinking about my pantry that’s filled with labeled glass jars and my color-coded closet fills me with peace and joy.
“How did you find out about it?”
Dawn grins and yanks down the back of her baggy boyfriend jeans, twisting her body around so she can show me the new ink she has on the small of her back and watch my expression at the same time. My expression of horror.
“YOLO?” I blink slowly, wondering why my friend would have a word that isn’t even a word marked forever on her skin.
“Yeah. You know, you only live once.”
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” I paint on the best smile I can to conceal my shock. “Well, that certainly fits with you.”
“Exactly. And anyway, while I was getting this done, the boss over there was ranting about how he can never find anything, and one of the guys suggested they get someone in to do their admin. At that point, I told them I knew just the person. The role hasn’t been advertised. You’ll be the only one going for an interview.”
“Until they meet me and realize that I’m not exactly Miss. Cool.”
“They’re not looking for Miss. Cool,” Dawn says as her eyes drop to take in my light blue sweater and skinny jeans. I know it’s not supposed to be fashionable anymore, but I can’t seem to move on from their figure-hugging style. “They’re looking for Miss. Organized.”